Lesbian Wrestling League (Series Book 1)

Product Information

I’d like to think that if Darren Young had debuted in WWE a few years later, things would have gone better for him. On the other hand, considering everything that still goes on there, it’s hard to be confident even in that. Young debuted in 2010 as part of Nexus, and publicly came out as gay in 2013. That made him the first WWE Superstar to come out while still actively wrestling. At the time, he was in the Prime Time Players tag team alongside Titus O’Neil. They briefly held the Tag Team Championship during a 2015 feud with the New Day, which was the only Title Darren held during his years in WWE. This week, I’m celebrating Pride Month by spotlighting eight proud LGBTQ wrestlers. For those of us in the queer community who enjoy wrestling, it can be disheartening sometimes how few people like us seem to be in the business, especially when you’re focused on the mainstream product. If you actually pay attention though, wrestling seems to be getting gayer every day, as more and more performers come out, and more young performers who’ve never been closeted to begin with join the business. So, yeah, I take kind of like a personal responsibility to be that openness for kids or young people that are in the shoes that I was in a decade ago.” And in all that, you can still enjoy some spectacular and acrobatic moves that do justice to the skills and agility of the IFW girls!

I originally intended to watch The Lion King but someone swapped the tape out for Royal Rumble 2000,” Kinney revealed on the Outsports podcast LGBT In The Ring. “Instead of watching the story of Simba, I watched Taz beat up Kurt Angle.” She suspects it was her brother that caused this bit of serendipity, but Kinney was hooked regardless. Now, decades later, the defiant spirits embodying that openness and desire for visibility among wrestling’s lesbian community refuse to keep their identities in the shadows. People like Ashley Vox and Rebel Kinney wear their identities openly in the ring without apology. Charlie Morgan’s promo in which she came out publicly in the ring at a Pro Wrestling EVE event is forever immortalized for its raw reality and ability to usher new LGBTQ fans into a welcoming wrestling space. This isn’t about one generation. It’s about every single voice - past, present and future - stating that we belong and we are here, from the ring to the very last eyeball taking it all in.I have no doubt that new names like Gozzie, Micha, Kamile Hansen and Spice Speigal will be on this list in the future. Those awaiting their return from injury like Reiza Clarke and Sophie King will surely leave their marks as well. The image of Deville running through a Pride celebration on Total Divas exclaiming “I’m gay” is a GIF that plays on repeat in the minds of many (including me). The excitement in her voice perfectly matched with the joy on her face is both a landmark and an image that no one with knowledge of any mainstream pro wrestling programming from 1995 onward ever thought they would see.

That being said, composing this list was still really hard. Once again, the best problem to have in the world is whittling down the list from a pool of far more than 200 who all deserve highlighting.

From deathmatch to lucha libre, comedy to catch, tekkers to all-out hoss brawls, every single aspect or style of pro wrestling built its rainbow family. Established stars reached new peaks, and rookies who drew inspiration from those spreading the message of pride started their own journeys. Matt Cage is an independent wrestler known for his work in various independent promotions in the USA such as IWA Mid-South, Dragon Gate USA, Chikara and many others. Possibly motivated by the coming out of Darren Young, Matt Cage revealed in 2015 that he was gay after years of hiding his sexual orientation and battling depression. Venere has now switched to a more aggressive mood, but Lucrezia shows everyone how strong she is, trying to resist and not giving up. With some more training she could easily be a top wrestler, however today she is facing a determined and proud fighter with one only goal in mind: winning. Whether she’s stepping into the ring to dish out punishment or using her power as a well-suited official to do the same, Sonya Deville’s presence within WWE speaks to more than your average pro wrestling fan. Deville is a history maker, becoming the first out lesbian competitor in WWE history and one of the most forward-facing figures for the LGBTQ community to millions of WWE fans. Fantasy stories involving fictional characters in catfights and sexual fantasies. Superheroines, TV characters, Cheerleaders and many more battle it out for your satisfaction.